David vs Goliath
July 8, 2011 - by
Folks used to say, You can’t fight City Hall, but these days City Hall down in Stanly County is having a tough time battling a multi-national corporation.
Back in the 1950’s the federal government granted Alcoa a ‘license’ that gave it control of part of the Yadkin River for the next 50 years. Alcoa then used the license to dam the river to generate hydro-electricity for its aluminum smelter in Badin.
Now Alcoa’s smelter is gone – moved overseas with the textile mills and factories – and in 2008 when Alcoa’s ‘license’ expired Stanly County figured the new license ought to go to someone who would use the hydro-electricity to create new jobs. And Alcoa, which has been selling the electricity on the ‘spot market,’ said, No way.
So, since 2007, to get their local stretch of the Yadkin River away from Alcoa, Stanly County has spent $278,180 lobbying legislators in Raleigh.
At the same time Alcoa has spent $1.4 million lobbying the same legislators.
You can’t beat City Hall – but in this case Alcoa has just about spent City Hall off its feet.
David vs Goliath
July 8, 2011/
Folks used to say, You can’t fight City Hall, but these days City Hall down in Stanly County is having a tough time battling a multi-national corporation.
Back in the 1950’s the federal government granted Alcoa a ‘license’ that gave it control of part of the Yadkin River for the next 50 years. Alcoa then used the license to dam the river to generate hydro-electricity for its aluminum smelter in Badin.
Now Alcoa’s smelter is gone – moved overseas with the textile mills and factories – and in 2008 when Alcoa’s ‘license’ expired Stanly County figured the new license ought to go to someone who would use the hydro-electricity to create new jobs. And Alcoa, which has been selling the electricity on the ‘spot market,’ said, No way.
So, since 2007, to get their local stretch of the Yadkin River away from Alcoa, Stanly County has spent $278,180 lobbying legislators in Raleigh.
At the same time Alcoa has spent $1.4 million lobbying the same legislators.
You can’t beat City Hall – but in this case Alcoa has just about spent City Hall off its feet.